Wraith Triangle
by Todd's Pet
Summary: A love triangle between one human woman and two Wraith has tragic consequences for her final fate - has one short very adult scene, hence rating
1. Chapter 1

**Wraith**** Triangle**

**Chapter 1**

My entire village is in panicked turmoil, people running in all directions, all thought of family and friends disappear and it seems it's every man for themselves. I run as fast as I can, knowing I'll never reach the mountain caves in time.

I'm right. I'm rugby tackled from behind, dragged to my feet and held firmly between two heavily muscled monsters. I kick and scream even though I know it's no use. I refuse to go willingly.

I've never seen creatures like these before, but I can see they're not friendly. I look around me and see one of my near neighbours on her knees in front of one of them, cowering. Suddenly the creature slams his hand flat onto her chest and my neighbour screams and twists in obvious agony.

I watch in horror as she grows old and withered before my very eyes – is it possible for anyone to become that old? – then she falls to the ground, a dried-out, dead husk.

What is this? What are these creatures?

I redouble my own struggles when I see one of them moving purposefully towards me, long white hair streaming out behind him in the breeze, his yellow eyes fixed on me like some hungry cat stalking its prey.

I'll be damned before I'll let him do that to me and I kick and scream and scratch like a wild thing.

I want to squeeze my eyes shut, to not see it coming, but then I don't want to give this creature the satisfaction of seeing me cower, so I hold his eyes with a fierce stare and he seems to falter.

Then I see the reason for his hesitation: another strides towards us and from the way he carries himself I know he must be their leader. My theory is confirmed when he growls at the one about to kill me.

"No! Not her! Bring her to me!"

Instantly submissive, the other one bows his head to his leader and signals to those holding me, who drag me off toward a small ship.

I carry on struggling, knowing it's useless, but grateful that at least I'm still alive – for now.

**-oOo-**

He's tall, way taller than me, so that even when he's pacing several feet away from me, I have to look up to look him in the eye. He is delivering the house rules, or so it seems… No wandering around the ship on my own, no talking to the commanders, stay away from the guards, eat in this room… endless rules.

"Is there anything I _am_ allowed to do?" I demand, interrupting him.

He turns to look at me and his eyes flash with amber fire. He clearly isn't used to being interrupted.

"What would you like to be able to do?" he asks at last.

"I don't know," I shrug, "What do you guys do for fun?"

"Fun?"

Great, I think to myself, this one's gonna be a bundle of laughs!

"Who are you people anyway?" I ask, changing the subject.

"We are not 'people', we are Wraith…" and he proceeds to give me a long history of his race.

I do try hard to pay attention, really I do.

I know it's important for my own survival to know as much as I can about these… _Wraith_. But after the feeding on humans bit – which held my attention for ever such a long time in a grossed-out kind of way – I found my attention wandering.

Suddenly, I'm aware that he's asked me a question. You know, like when I was at school and daydreaming out of the window when the teacher asked me a question I hadn't heard.

I feel foolish as I meet his eyes and blush for shame for my rudeness.

"I said, what's your name?" he repeats for me.

"Ellen," I reply, adding, "What's yours?"

"You wouldn't be able to say it out loud," he answers, "But some humans I know call me Todd, so you can call me that, too."

Todd… I roll the name around in my head… doesn't seem like a very scary name for such a scary creature, I think to myself.

"I'm not as scary as I look," he says, startling me with his apparent reading of my mind.

"How… how did you…?"

"Read your mind? Another thing you should know about Wraith is that we are telepathic." He looks at me as if I'm a wayward small child and adds, "You must also remember that some Wraith _are_ scary, very scary indeed, even if they don't look it. Stay with me and obey me and you'll be safe."

I stick my chin out defiantly and say as proudly as I can muster, "I obey no one!"

He sighs heavily. "Clearly," he says, shaking his head.

"If you wish to live you must learn to obey me. You must accept this."

Without waiting for a reply he gets up from the table and heads for the door. "I have some work I must attend to. I won't be long." He fixes me with those fiery gold eyes and adds, "Do not leave this room!"

I sit on the floor, outwardly pouting and sulking but inwardly mulling over his words.

I know that I should hate these creatures, these _Wraith_, for what they did to my village. But this man, for want of a better word, does not seem evil to me; resigned, proud, a little tired even, but not evil.

The thought strikes me that I ought to be grateful to him, that his 'protection' is all that's keeping me alive. But I always have been too stubborn for my own good.

Besides, it's already obvious that Todd's just going to be no fun at all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Bored, bored, bored! There is just nothing to do cooped up in this room. Well, actually, it's only been an hour since Todd left, but there's so little in his room that it took me all of ten minutes to explore it!

I would wonder how he can live so spartanly, but it's becoming obvious, even this early on, that he's never in his room anyway.

I know I will go mad if I stay here any longer. Not for one minute do I think he's left the door open, but I wave my hand in front of the door panel anyway. I'm astounded when it swishes open with a soft hiss.

I stick my head out of the door experimentally. The corridor outside is completely empty. I step over the threshold… No swarms of guards rush to overpower me and throw me back into the room. I take a step away from the door and it swishes closed behind me, making me jump.

I take another tentative step. Nothing happens. Another step. Still nothing. I look up and down the corridor in both directions; it all looks the same and there's nothing to influence which direction I take, so I head off down the direction I've already started on.

I get barely a few yards when I hear a sound behind me.

"What are you doing, human?" A sudden, angry growl makes me jump and I turn to see a Wraith commander standing with his hands on his hips. I know that I could be in danger but I'm not certain whether I ought to be submissive or not. I decide that the truth might be easiest.

"I was bored stuck in his room with nothing to do. I needed to get out and walk, explore a little," I tell him.

The Wraith looks me up and down and says, "You're the High Commander's slave." It's a statement, not a question. A slow, sly smile creeps across his lips and he adds, "Does he not keep you suitably entertained?"

I completely miss the innuendo and merely say, "He's busy working. He pays me no attention at all."

"Ahhh," the Wraith says. The sound escapes his lips as barely a whisper and sends a tiny shiver down my spine. A not entirely unpleasant shiver I'm horrified to realise. "A bored human female - not a good thing to have on a busy ship," he ponders. "Well then, we'll have to do something about that, won't we? Do you want to do something fun?"

I simply stare open-mouthed. Todd didn't even seem to know what fun was – but did other Wraith do things for fun, I think to myself?

"Of course we do," the Wraith says, stunning me with the ease with which he reads my thoughts. He leans towards me and whispers, as if we were conspiring a prank, "Have you ever seen a nebula – close up?" he asks me.

"What's a nebula?"

"I can show you." He holds his hand out to me, "Come with me."

I hesitate when I see the feeding slit like a red gash across his palm. Is it safe to take a Wraith's hand? He waggles his outstretched hand towards me and says again, "Come."

Always my own worst enemy, I take his hand and go with him.

**-oOo-**

The Wraith leads me through endless corridors that all look the same and I find myself thinking that it was just as well I ran into him or I would have become hopelessly lost.

As I follow him I study him carefully. He's not as tall as Todd, though still much taller than me. He's slimmer; sleek and quick to Todd's strong and steady. His hair is much longer than Todd's and brushed smooth, some of it gathered into ponytails and braids; even his little beard is braided. He is actually very handsome… for a Wraith.

I wonder briefly if this Wraith is vainer than Todd, but then notice that he does not have an earring or a tattoo… Perhaps Todd is vainer than he would like others to think?

We round yet another corner and I'm suddenly confronted with a sight that leaves me open-mouthed with wonder. The corridor has opened up into a huge cavernous room, the far wall of which is nothing but window – no, there's not even any window there!

"How…? There's no glass…"

The Wraith pulls me towards the 'wall' and encourages me to touch it. When I put my hand out it quivers like ripples on water.

"A force field," the Wraith explains.

But, oh, when I look out beyond the 'window' it takes my breath away and I stand and stare, completely agog.

I'm unaware of how close the Wraith has been standing until he whispers in my ear, "Beautiful, isn't it?"

"Oh yes," I sigh, completely forgetting where I am and who I'm with. "It is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen!"

**-oOo-**

"Just round that corner," the Wraith tells me, clearly unwilling to see me all the way to Todd's door.

He turns to leave and suddenly I don't want him to go. "Wait! Do you have a name?"

"You can call me Steve," he says with a wink and disappears.

I feel oddly flat as I wave my hand in front of the door panel, completely unaware of the lateness of the hour.

The door slides aside and the first thing I see is Todd sitting in his chair and looking straight at me.

"Where have you been?" he demands without any preamble. His tone tells me he will brook no excuses. I've always told the truth, no matter what the consequences, so I tell him straight.

"I know the one of whom you speak," he says gruffly, "I don't want you to see him again."

"But -"

"I said do not see him again!" he shouts at me for the first time and I almost flinch.

Mustering my pride I lift my chin and say, "Am I to have no friends at all, then?"

"He is not your friend."

"But that's not fair…" I begin to argue, missing the flash of fire in his eyes that should tell me I've over stepped the mark again.

"Enough!" he barks. "He's nothing but trouble and he's playing with you, Ellen! Stay away from him!"

Todd visibly calms himself and when he speaks to me again it is in a gentler tone. "It is late. You should get some sleep."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I wonder how I am meant to spend a whole interminable day on this God-forsaken hive ship with nothing to do. Todd has relented and allowed me to leave his room, but I have another long list of rules of those I am not to speak to and places I am not to go.

I wouldn't know the difference anyway as all the corridors look the same. I feel a tiny flip of fear in the pit of my stomach when I realise I am completely lost.

As if reading my mind I hear a familiar voice behind me say, "Lost again, are you?"

Steve! I'm not entirely surprised when my stomach does another little flip, only this time not for fear.

"Still bored?" he asks and I know I don't need to speak the answer. "Have you ever done loops in a dart?" he asks me.

"Well, of course I haven't," I answer, completely fearless now, as though I'd forgotten this was a Wraith standing in front of me.

"Would you like to?" he says, smiling.

**-oOo-**

The Wraith climbs into the dart's pilot seat. There is only one.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" I ask him.

He pats his lap. "Here," he says, smiling. "There's enough room. Come on, climb in."

Amazing myself at my own audacity, I climb in and settle myself in the Wraith's lap.

He wriggles a little under my weight and settles his arms around my waist so that he can reach the control panels in front of me.

"Comfy?" he asks, his breath whispers across my cheek, warm and tingling. I don't think I need to answer him and say nothing.

"OK, here we go," he warns me as the dart seals us both inside.

Suddenly I am thrown back heavily into the Wraith's lap as we take off. We are forced cheek to cheek for a second and I can feel the heat of his face next to mine.

Then inertia releases me and I jerk forward again. The speed of the dart as it leaves the hive launch bay is breathtaking and then suddenly we are out into the huge vastness of open space.

I am completely enthralled.

"Have you ever seen the stars this close before?" the Wraith whispers into my ear.

"Oh, no, it's wonderful!" I breathe.

"Hold on tight, now," he whispers again and squeezes his arms tighter around my waist. Without thinking, I grasp the outside of his thighs tightly with my hands.

Suddenly I don't know up from down as the stars in front of me spin into a blur, then steak out behind me. My body is thrown from one side to the other and the Wraith's arms seem to be all that prevents me from crashing head first through the cockpit canopy.

After the initial squeeze of fear in my stomach, it does a dozen somersault flips as exhilaration fills my whole body.

Completely freed from all inhibitions I lose myself in the sheer joy of the moment and hear myself actually laugh and squeal with delight at these completely new and thrilling sensations.

Even the Wraith lets out a throaty whoop of joy as we twist and turn and loop around in the endless starry blackness.

**-oOo-**

"Did you enjoy that?" the Wraith asks as he helps me to climb out of the dart.

"Yes, truly, I did. I haven't had so much fun since I was a small child! Never have I experienced anything so wonderful. It is the first time I have seen the stars in that way," I say excitedly. Then I catch myself and look down at my feet. I'm not sure I should be speaking to a Wraith in this way. "Thank you," I say trying to be less forward.

"It was my pleasure," the Wraith says and I sneak a quick look at his face. He's smiling at me.

"You would like to do something else fun? Soon?"

Loosing all inhibitions with this strange fun-loving Wraith, I say without hesitation, "Oh, yes please!"

He smiles even more broadly and says, "Meet me first thing tomorrow."

"How will I find you?" I ask, again not wanting him to leave.

"I will find you," he states simply.

"By the way, I'm called Ellen," I call after him as he strides off down the corridor, leaving me feeling lost – I don't know my way back from the dart bay!

**-oOo-**

By the time I find my way back to Todd's room I know I'm in trouble and hunch my shoulders, ready for the onslaught. I am not disappointed. When his door opens he is pacing up and down the floor like a caged animal.

"Do you have a death wish, child?" he growls at me before the door is even fully open and I've stepped over the threshold. I do not know what to say.

"I know you left the hive today. Do not try to deny it."

"I never lie!" I say, trying to hold my head high and clamp down on the quiver threatening to take control of my bottom lip.

Todd sighs heavily again, a habit of his, I've noticed. Or is that only with me?

"That's true, you don't," he concedes. "You have many admirable qualities, but you are also your own worst enemy. I have already warned you about this… Steve, yet still you see him. Why?"

"He's fun," is all I can think of to say.

"Fun…" Todd ponders this a while then tries to change the subject. "I've brought things for you to entertain yourself."

"But –"

"No, Ellen!" Todd reads my thoughts again. "I am telling you to stay away from him!"

He sighs heavily yet again – am I such a trial to him? He picks up one of the books on the pile in front of him on the table.

"Do you like poetry?" he asks kindly.

Actually, I hate poetry, but I don't have the heart to say so, so I remain silent where I sit on the floor and look up at him, wrapping my arms around my knees. He opens the book and begins to read to me. I like the sound of his voice, truly I do, but after a while the words start to roll into one long hypnotic sound.

I don't notice I've fallen asleep until I feel Todd gently pick me up in his arms and lay me on the bunk before he leaves the room again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The next day I wander round the corridors of the hive impatiently, wondering what Steve's definition of 'first thing' is. Just as I'm despondently thinking I should give up and go back to Todd's quarters, I literally bump into Steve coming round a corner.

He holds me in his arms just a second too long and I feel myself blush deeply.

With both of his hands on my shoulders he holds me out at arms length and looks down into my face. "Are you ready for an adventure today?" he asks me.

His smile lights up his face and sweeps away any doubts that may have lingered in my mind from last night.

"Oh, yes!" I say and let him lead me to the dart bay again.

This time, instead of playing in the inky depths of space, Steve takes me to a nearby planet. As he leads me from the dart through a small wooded area he asks me, "Have you ever been through a star gate, Ellen?"

"No!" I answer, "I have heard of it, of course, and there's even one near my home…" I feel a momentary pang of homesickness and hang my head a little. "I have never stepped through a star gate," I finish.

I'm certain Steve has noticed my sudden drop in mood and he takes my hand to pull me along. "You will love it," he says, "It's such a rush!"

And he is so right. I try to hold my breath as we step into what looks like a deep pool of water, but as soon as I step across the threshold, the breath is torn from my lungs in a huge rush. I see the stars fly past me again, but different from when in the dart. This time there is nothing surrounding me but the stars themselves.

I cling to Steve's hand in fear of my very life. When I look across at him, his long, white hair is flowing behind him and I feel the cosmic winds blowing my own hair off my face, cool and refreshing.

I give myself up to the exhilaration of it, feeling safe so long as Steve is holding my hand and smiling at me like he is right now.

This planet is like nothing I've ever seen. Three suns sit low in an amazingly deep pink sky that gives the sea a lilac tinge. Even the sand is pink and finer than any I have ever seen – and it glitters.

"Like fairy dust, isn't it?" Steve says. I could almost believe him. This planet is just magical.

"So how are you getting on with your master?" Steve asks suddenly. I'm a bit thrown by the change of subject and simply frown at him.

"Are you still bored with him?" His smile has a wicked edge somehow although I'm not sure I know why.

"He is… quiet, a lot quieter than I am used to." Then, feeling suddenly defensive of Todd, I say, "He read me poetry last night."

"Poetry!" Steve laughs heartily. "Oh my!"

"What's wrong with that? He has a very nice voice for poetry," I say prickling and completely forgetting that Todd's recital sent me to sleep.

"And is that all he does to you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess that answers my question…" Steve muses cryptically.

Changing the subject again, he draws my attention to the three suns, dipping below the horizon and turning the sea a deep shade of purple.

"Listen," Steve says, "Can you hear the sea sizzling?"

And so he makes me laugh and forget any forebodings I may have fleetingly had.

**-oOo-**

I'm surprised that Todd does not notice anything different about me when I get back to his rooms. I feel happy and I am sure that I must look different. He doesn't even ask me where I've been, nor even look up when I enter. He simply carries on reading his palm pilot screen and indicates the table in the corner.

"Eat," he says starkly.

"I'm not hungry," I reply.

He looks up from his work and stares at me oddly for a few seconds before he bends over his work again, saying, "I know for a fact that you have eaten nothing on the hive all day. You will eat." It is a command, not a request, so I sit at the table and try to eat something. I completely miss his allusion to my not having been on the hive all day.

"Where did he take you today?" Todd says, still not looking up from his work.

My spoon clatters across my bowl and spins out onto the table. I blush and stutter and cannot think of an excuse.

"Answer me, Ellen," he says sternly.

"He took me through a star gate… to a wonderful planet with three pink suns."

"Yes, I know it. Did you have fun?"

I don't know what to say. I tilt my chin up and opt for defiance. "Yes, it was fun," I reply. "He shows me things I've never seen before."

"I'll bet he does," Todd mutters under his breath. It wasn't meant for me to hear but I don't know what he means anyway.

Todd says nothing more for several minutes as he finishes what he's doing on his palm pilot. Confused, I remain silent. Then he stands up and walks across to the table where I sit.

He slams the palm pilot onto the table and I jump. With his hands on the table he leans over me, the angry look on his face making me flinch. But when he speaks, his voice is quiet and even I am aware of the dangerous edge to his tone. "You are mine, Ellen," he says menacingly, "You would do well to remember that."

I cannot help it; my bottom lip quivers and against my will a tear squeezes itself from my eye and runs down my cheek.

Todd's sighs seem to get heavier by the day and I'm beginning to feel guilty for being the source of his despair.

"You're infatuated with him, child," Todd says kindly, wiping the tear away with his thumb.

I know Todd is good to me; even when he's unkind he's only trying to protect me, though what from I have no idea.

"He's dangerous," Todd says replying to my thoughts. "I really wish you would heed me, Ellen."

He walks over to the closet and brings out a plain package. "Here," he offers me the parcel. "I have a gift for you. I hope you like it."

I open it excitedly, hoping it's not more poetry. Some kind of fabric falls from the package as I open it, deep blue fabric that shimmers like a pool of moonlit water. I drop the paper and hold up the most beautiful dress I have ever seen in my whole life.

"Oh! It's _wonderful_!" I squeal as I hold it to me and twirl around with it.

"It matches your eyes," Todd says quietly.

I beam at him and thank him at least a million times as I continue to twirl around the floor with the beautiful dress swirling around me as I go.

He's looking at me rather oddly, in a strange wistful kind of way. I'm not sure what to make of it, but I know he's trying really hard. So I resolve to try really hard to obey him. Truly I do.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I've been good for three whole days and am heading straight back to Todd's room to be there before he returns when I hear a familiar voice close behind me.

"Seen any fairy dust lately, beautiful?"

I turn around and Steve is standing just a few inches behind me, so close I can smell him. I wonder fleetingly how he can smell of the flowers that grew so abundantly on the beach on that planet he showed me – or is he trying to control my mind like Todd said he would?

"I can't see you any more," I say, chin held high and feeling pleased with myself.

"Why? Because he says so?"

He knocks the wind out of my sails with his challenge and I don't know what to say.

"Why doesn't he want you to have any fun?"

My self control wavers.

"Maybe it's because he's just so _old_… he doesn't understand what it's like to be young!"

My resolve to be good is crumbling. Oh, why can I not be stronger?

"After all, you only want to have some fun. What's wrong with that?"

**-oOo-**

When we reach Steve's room I understand why he smells of flowers – his room is full of them!

"Oh! Where did all these flowers come from?" I ask.

"I got them for you," he says.

"But how did you know I would be here to see them?"

"So many questions, beautiful…" He indicates a chair and motions for me to sit. I do. "Would you like something to drink?"

Instead of waiting for me to reply he's already pouring a deep ruby red liquid into a crystal glass. He hands it to me. "Here, it'll help you relax," he says.

Stupidly, because I feel so nervous and on edge, I drink the contents of the glass in one go. Steve refills it and I drink again.

He holds his right hand out to me, palm upward and again I see the feeding slit quite clearly. But unlike before it looks different this time; it's almost pulsing.

"You _can_ touch it," he tells me. Shyly I lay my hand flat onto his palm. Unlike before when I've held his hand, this time it tingles, like a small electric current, through my arm. I snatch my hand away.

"It's quite safe, truly."

I reach out again and this time I stroke the slit with just one finger. Steve shivers. Alarmed, I look up at his face but he's smiling.

"That tickles," he says.

Then he grasps my hand tightly and leads me to a darkened corner of his room.

**-oOo-**

I have never in my life felt anything like this. It's completely overwhelming.

Steve's left hand is between my thighs – doing what I have no idea but it feels amazing - and his right hand is clamped firmly between my breasts, pouring life force into me like a searing white-hot fire.

I throw my head back and moan - a guttural growl that comes from deep within my throat. Steve answers with his own soft snarl as he changes the pace with both hands – now tantalisingly, agonisingly slow.

I arch my back – I want more – but Steve merely smiles reminding me that he's the one in control.

His soft hair sweeps across my face as he brings his head down to me and presses his lips against mine, softly at first, then harder. I don't even mind when he bites my lower lip; the pain and the pleasure mingle so that I'm certain I'm going to die, right here and now, of sheer, unbearable pleasure.

**-oOo-**

Is this what it is to be a full grown woman? Certainly a lot of what Todd has said starts to make sense to me. Thinking of Todd makes a shiver of fear run down my spine. What have I done?

I look down at Steve and stroke his long, silky hair while he sleeps. Is this how all Wraith keep their worshippers enslaved to them, I wonder. Why does Todd not want me this way? Or does Steve feel something for me that Todd cannot?

As I watch his chest rise and fall gently with his breathing, the realisation hits me like a brick wall. I'm in love with Steve! Does he love me, too? If he does, will his love save me from Todd's anger? Please, God, let this night mean that he loves me, too.

**-oOo-**

I'm startled from sleep by Steve leaping out of the bunk and quickly pulling on his pants and coat.

Bleary-eyed I sit up on one elbow and ask him what's wrong.

"Get up! Get up now and get dressed! Quickly!"

His eyes are wide with unconcealed fear. I have never seen him look this way. It frightens me and I stumble from the bunk and fumble with trembling fingers to get my dress over my head.

It has barely slipped over my breasts when the door flies open.

I see two commanders and four guards standing in the doorway. _Four_ _guards?_ Whatever have we done to warrant _four_ guards?

As we are led through the endless corridors, I'm aware that Steve is breathing heavily.

"What's happening?" I whisper to him, seeking comfort.

But all his previous warmth has deserted me and he merely snarls "Be quiet!" without even looking at me.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

We are both thrown onto our knees in front of Todd. While I remain so, Steve defiantly gets back to his feet and Todd glares at him. The fire in Todd's gold eyes is fiercer than I have ever seen and enough to make my whole body tremble to see the fury in them.

"Explain yourself!" His voice booms across the whole hall.

Steve snarls - an expression I have not yet seen on his face, as he says, "The human female threw herself at me, High Commander. What was I supposed to do?"

Todd leans threateningly close, so close his breath wafts Steve's hair as he speaks. "You might have tried throwing her back!" he hisses.

He spins round to face me so unexpectedly that I actually cower for the first time in my life. "What do you have to say for yourself, woman?" he demands of me.

When I don't answer he grabs my elbow and yanks me roughly to my feet, holding me close to his head so that no one else can hear his words to me. "Why, Ellen? You must understand I cannot let this go. Why do you make me do this?"

What can I say? I do not have the words and I let the tears fall unchecked down my face.

"Aaaargggh!" he snarls loudly in my face. "You have betrayed me! I cannot tolerate this!"

He draws his feeding hand back as far as it will go before slamming it into my chest. The pain is blinding, searing and tearing through my whole body.

Even at the last my defiance makes me hold eye contact with him, in spite of the escalating pain. I'm surprised to see, not anger and hatred in his eyes, but pain and despair.

Then his voice breaks through the agony and I feel him in my head. He's actually trying to soothe my pain even as he kills me. "Forgive me, Ellen," he says, "You gave me no choice."

Tears squeeze from my eyes as I turn my head agonisingly slowly and see Steve watching. Through the blinding agony I try to send him a mental message: "Please, help me."

A tiny pinprick of hope breaks through my agony when I see the expression on Steve's face change ever so subtly.

Suddenly, Steve flies across the room and seizes Todd by his feeding arm, ripping him off me. "She's mine!" he snarls at Todd.

Lying gasping with pain on the floor, I dare to believe that perhaps Steve does love me after all, though I fear for what Todd might do to him now.

They are standing snarling at each other like rutting animals.

Not taking his eyes off Todd for a second, Steve reaches down, takes my hand and helps me to stand.

The instant I'm on my feet, he spins round to face me and before I know what's hit me, I feel his feeding hand clamp down on my chest. But this time it's not the exquisite receiving of life force that Steve once gave me, but the tearing, ripping pain that Todd had just given me.

With sudden clarity I realise that Steve is feeding on me, taking all of my life force, quickly and fiercely.

"You didn't think I was going to let him have you, did you? You're mine! And so is his ship!" I hear him say it in my mind and begin to understand what Todd had tried to warn me about.

But Steve's voice is pushed aside and I feel Todd's presence in my mind again, calming me, soothing me, trying to take away my pain.

"I will have to kill him, too," Todd's voice tells me, "But him I will kill for you, Ellen."

Blackness crowds into my head and I know I am going to die. As the last dregs of my life force leave me, seconds before Steve lets my lifeless body fall to the floor, I understand everything.

Steve never loved me. But Todd did.

**THE END**


End file.
